Letter-box



Patented Mar. 28, I899.

K. J. PEERS.

LETTER BOX.

(Application filed Oct. 15, 1898.1

2 Sheets$heet I.

(No Model.)

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LETTER BOX.

(Application filed Oct. 15, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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ilrrrrn KESTER J. PEERS, OF BOSTON, lVIASSAOHUSETTS.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,973, dated March as, 1899; Application filed October 15, 1898. Serial No. 693,578. (No model.)

To ail whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, KESTER J. PEERS, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Letter-Boxes,.of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The invention especially relates to the style of delivery letter-box used for receiving and holding letters in post-offices. These boxes are usually arranged in superposed lines or tiers from the floor upward, their outer ends being closed by doors which are generally locked and which must be unlocked, opened, closed, and locked every time that the box is visited for the purpose of removing the mail and for the purpose of seeing whether or not mail has been placed in the box. Some attempt has been made to prevent the bother of unlocking and opening the door when mail is not present in the box by making the door partially transparent in order that the box may be looked through, but this does not answer the requirements except for boxes which are in line with the eye, and even then it is not a positive means for indicating the presence of a letter in the box. For boxes which are near the floor or out of line with the eye the transparent door-section is of little or no value as an indicator, and does not act to relieve the box owner from the trouble of opening and closing the door to the box for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not there are letters in it.

My invention is designed to indicate the absence of mail from the box and the presence of mail in the box by means of an indicator or telltale at the front of the box, which indicates without opening the box and regardless of the vertical position of the box whether the box has mail or not. v

The telltale or indicator is operated by the first letter or piece of mail placed in the box by the sorter or other post-office employee aft-er the previous mail has been removed, and the indicator or telltale is returned from indicating position at the front of the box to its original position by the owner of the box after the removal of mail and before the closing of the door of the box.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective of a box removed from its tier or line, showing its door closed. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section lengthwise the box, representing the telltale or indicator as removed from the door or in a position to show that the box is empty. Fig. 3 is a similar section through the box, representing the telltale or indicator in the position which shows the presence of mail in the box. Fig. 4 is a view showing the door to the box as open and the relation of the telltale or indicator to the open door after the removal of the mail but before it has been moved to set the detector. Fig. 5 is a view in section representing a modified form of construction to which reference is hereinafter made. Fig. 6 is a view in rear elevation of the box, showing the detector in its upright position or in position to be actuated by the placing of an article in the box. Fig. 7 is a view in front elevation of the box with the door open, representing the telltale or indicator as moved back to its original position preparatory to the closing of the door.

The casing A of the box is of any suitable or customary material.

A represents the front end of the box or the end through which the mail is withdrawn and which is normally closed by the door 13, which is hinged at one edge to the box or a suitable casing and is locked when closed in the usual Way. It usually has a transparent section 0, through which the interior of the box may more or less imperfectly be viewed, according to the position of the box.

The rear or back opening A of the boxis the opening through which the sorter or other handler of mail or other matter introduces it into the box. Heretofore this has not been closed or obstructed, and the mail or other matter has been passed through it to the fioor of the box, and this opening I have now supplied with a detector D, which operates the indicator or telltale E. This detector spans the opening in such a manner that no letter or article can be placed in the box without coming into contact therewith and moving it sufficiently to cause the indicator or telltale to be moved to indicating position. I have represented as one means for providing this detector a plate or shutter of a size to close the opening, which is hinged at its lower end d to the floor of the box or to a plate (1, placed upon the floor to swing inward and downward upon a vertical are from a perpendicular position closing the opening, as represented in Fig. 2, to a horizontal position exposing or uncovering the opening as seen in Fig.

It is desirable that the shutter belight and be operated by a very slight pressuresuch, for instance, as the pressing of the end of an ordinary letter against it-so that upon being touched by it it will fall forward from its upright position to its horizontal position and will in part or in whole by gravity cause the indicator or telltale to be moved from a position which indicates the emptiness of the box to one thatindicates that somethinghas been placed in it.

I have represented as one type of indicator or telltale a metal leaf or flap having a white face e and hinged at c to a second plate or support e which has a black face a and is hinged at e to the floor of the box or to the plate (1. The plate or support e is connected with the detector D in such a manner that the movement of the detector causes it and the telltale to be moved to a position to indicate the presence of mail or an article in the box, and it is also so connected with the detector that its return movement from indieating to original position will cause the detector to be set across the open inner end of thebox. This connection is represented as provided by the long link F, pivoted atf to the earf of the hinged support 0 and at f to the arm f of a rock-lever pivoted at f to a stationary lugf, fastened to the floor or side of the box or extending from the plate (1. This rock-lever consists of a long arm or lever f arranged at practically a right angle to the arm f and the outer end f of which is bent to extend horizontally back of the detector.

It will be understood that the link F and rock-lever are placed as closely to one side of the box as possible to be out of the way. The rock-lever is pivoted closely tov the pivotal point of the detector in order that in its upright position it may be but slightly inclined and lightly bear against the detector, and there may extend backward from the said arm f when in its upright position an arm J, the end of which affords means whereby the indicator or telltale may be set to indicating position independently of the movement of the detector. The indicator or telltale and its support 6 are located back of a sight-opening in the door 13 of the box, and such sightopening may have the transparent cover C, and the support and indicator or telltale are so proportioned and pivoted in relation to this sight-opening that they either occupy the position represented in Fig. 2, when the telltale or indicator cannot be seen through the said opening and only the black surface of its support 6 may be seen and at some distance from said opening, or the position represented in Fig. 3, when the telltale or indicator has been moved close to the sightopening and presents an indicating-surface which remains constantly in view until the door of the box has been opened. \Vhen the dooris opened, the indicator falls from the position represented in Fig. 3 or is tipped forward and downward to the position represented in Fig. 4, thus permitting the contents of the boxto be removed and also taking a position which will prevent the closing of the door of the box until it has been restored to its non indicating position or that represented in Fig. 2. The support and indicator are of such length and so pivoted and arranged in relation to the opening that the support must be moved upward and the indicator upward and backward in order to close the door and set the detector and indicator. If the support is moved upward and the indicator not turned upward and backward, its lower end would be in the path of movement of the door, and thus act to prevent the closing and locking of the door. Therefore upon the removal of the contents of the box the door cannot be closed and locked and the parts set until the telltale or indicator has been moved as above specified, and this movement causes the detector to be moved from its inoperative position (represented in Fig. 3) to its operative position of Fig. 2.

The support and telltale are so proportioned and operated that upon the movement of the detector the support is moved forward and downward, moving the telltale or indicator forward and downward to bring its face e to a perpendicularposition parallel with the inner surface of the door, close thereto and in line with the sight-opening.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the link F as connected at its rear end by a pivot directly to the detector, and while this construction is within the scope of my invention I do not consider it quite as desirable a construction as that above described and represented in Figs. 2 and 3.

I would say that the detector I) may be of any desirable material, of any suitable shape, and more or less transparent, if required, and Iwould say, further, that the face 01? the indicator and its support c may be of any desired color. I would further say that I do not confine myself to the special form of indicator or telltale herein described nor to the connection for combining it with the detector herein specified.

By employing a common base-plate d for carrying the detector, telltale, and connections the device is made readily applicable to boxes in use.

I have spoken of but one connection between the detector and telltale, but each side of the detector and the telltale may be con-.

nected, if desired.

In operation the act of placing a letter or article in the box operates the telltale and brings into view a device which indicates the presence of such letter or article in the box, which remains in sight until the article or letter is removed, and the removal of said article or letter produces such a result that the door of the box cannot be closed until the indicator has been placed in a non-indicating position, and this act causes the detector to be restored to its operative position, or, in other words, the telltale must be set in order that the door may be closed, and the setting of the telltale sets the detector.

It will be seen that the indicator or-telltale when in the position represented in Fig. 2 extends over the center of gravity of its support sufficiently to slightly overbalance it in a backward direction, and thus tends to maintain itself in its inoperative position, and also causes a light pressure to be exerted against the detector when in its closed position.

It will be seen that upon the insertion of an article into the box both the indicator and detector are moved from obstructive positions therein to positions which no longer prevent the use of the boxto its full capacity-that is, the indicator is moved from the position represented in Fig. 2, where it would be more or less in the way, to the position represented in Fig. 3, where it is no longer so, the hinged section then beingparallel with the floor and the indicator being parallel and close against the end of the door, and likewise the detector is moved downward to the floor of the box to occupy a position beneath the letter or article which may be placed in the box, the opening of the box then being entirely unobstructed. The obstruction which might exist because of the vertical position of the telltale against the door upon the opening of the door is removed by its outward and downward movement upon the opening of the door to a position substantially horizontal to the plane of the floor. It will be seen that in the construction shown in Figs. 2, 3, and i the detector is not connected with the lever end f but simply bears against it, and that the pivotal points of the lever-link and the arm of the lever to which the link is attached, are so arranged that when the detector has been moved to a vertical position further pressure on the telltale or indicator will not act to press the lever against the detector, but will be taken up by the earf, to which the lever is pivoted, as the link-pivot is then in line withthe lever-pivot and beyond it.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In a box for receiving and holding mail and other articles, having an opening atthe receiving end through which the mail or other article is placed inthe box and an opening at the delivery end through which it is removed, and which opening is closed by a door, an indicator or telltale located at or nearthe said delivery end of the box movable into and out of indicating position, a detector at the receiving end of said box which is adapted in one position to close or partially close the same and in another position to open the same, which detector is connected with the indicator or telltale in a manner to communicate its movements thereto, and which detector is operated by the impact of the forward end of the mail or article placed or thrust into the box, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a box for receiving and holding mail and other articles having an opening at the receiving end through which the mail or other article is placed in the box and an opening at the delivery end through which itis removed, and which opening is closed by a door, an indicator or telltale located at or near the said delivery end of the box movable into and out of indicating position, a detector at the receiving end of said box which is adapted in one position to closeor partially close the same and in another position to open the same, which detector and indicator or telltale are connected together and in a manner to communicate their movements one to the other, and which detector is operated by the impact of the forward end of the mail or other article placed or thrust into the box, and whereby the movement of the detector opens the delivery end of the box and sets the indicator in indicating position, and whereby the movement of the indicator out of indicating position returns the detector to its closed position, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a box for receiving and holding mail and other articles having an opening at one end through which the mail or other article is placed in the box, and an opening at the other end through which it is removed and which opening is closed by a door, an indicator or-telltale located at or near the closed endof the box adapted to be set, a detector located at or near the inner end of the box and connecting devices connecting the tell- 7 tale with the detector whereby the setting of the telltale also causes the setting of the detector.

4. In a box for receiving mail and other articles having an opening at one end through which the mail or other article is placed in the box and an opening at the other end through which it is removed and which opening is closed by a door, an indicator or telltale located at or near the closed end of the box and adapted to be moved or released upon the opening of the door to the box to a position which shall give full access to the box andprevent the closing of the door of the box, as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a box for receiving and holding mail and other articles having an opening at one end through which the mail or other article is placed in the box and an opening at the other end through which it is removed, and which opening is closed by a door, an indicator or telltale located near the closed end of the box and comprising a plate 6 hinged to a supporting-plate, the said indicator or telltale and said hinged supporting-plate having the movements in relation to each other and to the door and'door-opening described, as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a box for receiving and holding mail and other articles having an opening at one end through which the mail or other article is removed, and which opening is closed by a door, an indicator or telltale movable from an inclined inoperative position to a perpendicular position adjacent to the door and also movable from said perpendicular position outwardly and downwardly upon the opening of the door and adapted to prevent the closing of the door while in said last-named position and to be restored to its original position.

7. In a box for receiving and holding mail and other articles having an opening at one end closed by a door, an indicator or telltale comprising a hinge or support and an indicator or telltale section which serves to slightly over-balance the said hinge or support when in its inoperative position, the said hinge or support also acting to transfer the indicator or telltale section from its inoperative to its operative position, as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a box for receiving and holding mail and other articles having an opening at the receiving end through which the mail or other article is placed in the box, and an opening at the delivery end through which it is removed, and which opening is closed by a door,

an indicator or telltale at the delivery end of said box, a detector at the receiving end of said box connected with the telltale to operate it and independent means at the receiving end of the box for moving said telltale independently of the detector.

9. In a box for receiving and holdingmail and other articles, having an opening at the receiving end through which the mail or other article is placed in the box, and an opening in the delivery end through which it is removed, a telltale at the delivery end of said box, a detector at the receiving end of said box and a rock-lever having an arm which bears against the detector and a link connecting the rock-lever with the telltale.

10. In a box for receiving and holding mail and other articles having an opening at its receiving end through which the mail or other article is placed in the box, and an opening at the delivery end through which it is removed, and which opening is closed by a door, an indicator or telltale at or near the delivery end, a hinged detector at or near the receiving end, a lever connected with the telltale to be moved thereby and arranged to move the detector and also to receive its movement, and means whereby said lever may be prevented from being forced against the detector by the telltale when'the detector is in its closed position.

11. The combination of the box, the telltale or indicator at one end thereof, the detector at the other end thereof, the detector rocklever pivoted as described and having an arm connected with the telltale bya link, the pivots of said arm and link beingin line with the pivot of the lever when the lever has been moved by the telltale to close the detector thereby preventing further movementof the lever by the telltale and the pushing of the lever against the detector.

12. Thecombination of a box, the indicator or telltale at one end thereof, the detector at the other end thereof, a base-plate independent of the bottom of the box carrying the detector and telltale and means also carried by said plate connecting the telltale and detector whereby the movement of one causes the movement of the other.

13. The combination of a box of the character specified, a telltale or indicator at one end thereof, in indicating position held elevated in the box, a detector at the other end of the box vertical in one position, then closing or partially closing the entrance to the box and showing that it is empty, means connecting the detector and the indicator whereby the movement of one is communicated to the other, the said detector and said telltale being movable from their elevated and vertical positions to a position parallel or substantially parallel with a side of the box,whereby an unobstructed opening through it is then provided, as and for the purposes set forth.

let. The combination of a box, an indicator or telltale at one end, a detector at the other end connected with the telltale to operate the same, and which detector is hingedat its lower end to drop forward and downward under an article placed in the box as and for the purposes described.

15. The combination of a box, an indicatoror telltale in the box occupying in its inoperative position a position more or less obstructive and adapted to be moved upon the placing of an article in the box to a position which shall bring the telltale or indicator parallel with the end of the box through which end it may be moved outward to permit the removal of the contents of the box.

16. The combination of a box, a telltale or indicator contained therein support-ed by a hinge near one end of the box and movable by it from an inclined position to a vertical position against the end of the box and further adapted upon the removal of said end of the box to fall orbe moved outward and clownward to provide an unobstructed opening to the box.

KESTER .l. rEnRs.

IVitnesses:

F. F. RAYMOND, 2 J. M. DOLAN. 

